Meet the Ocala Star-Banner 2023 All-County Flag Football Team
The growth of flag football around the country is giving birth to a new generation of gridiron stars. Former Marion County standout Klaudia Taylor already put Ocala on the national map with the sport’s first national championship. Belleview’s Jakyra Bostick could be the next big thing out of the county.
The sophomore tore up both sides of the ball in her 2023 campaign. She ran for 389 yards and caught 49 balls for a county high 740 receiving yards with 16 touchdowns during the season. Her 12 interceptions tied for seventh best in the state. She is the Ocala Star-Banner Player of the Year.
Belleview’s head flag football coach Michael Pixley knew Bostick was primed for a big season after preseason games on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers field. A game against a team who finished in the top five in the state tournament couldn’t contain her. All the team needed to do was get her the ball.
“I don’t know what she would have done if we had one of the top quarterbacks in the area,” said Pixley.
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Bostick wasn’t always the best player on the field. In fact, Pixley questioned when the three-sport athlete would put it all together.
During their first meeting at Belleview’s flag football camp months before starting her freshman year, he could see the talent, but she had work to do.
“She was very good, but obviously, she had some abilities and speed,” said Pixley. “She’s really developed over this last winter and become a football player.”
Pixley’s seen a lot of football over the last 20 years. He coached tackle football before transforming Belleview’s flag football team into a winning program. It’s allowed him to see a lot of football talent, and Bostick has the goods to be his next big prospect.
“I was throwing routes to the kids on our club team, and I threw a ball to her as hard as I would to the boys, and she caught it and ran upfield,” said Pixley. “You either have hands, or you don’t. You can develop them, but she has them.”
Bostick stepped up after playing a smaller role during the 2022 season. In her first season, she helped the team see her strong points while giving Bostick the knowledge she’d need to have a breakout year.
With the Rattler’s top quarterback recovering from a major knee injury, the offense turned to Bostick to get them through the first half of the season. She did that and more with Pixley playing his star player at defensive back and several other positions.
“She took her lumps last year as a ninth grader on defense,” said Pixley. “She made mistakes this year but was a lot better. I think she’ll be tremendous next year.”
Bostick’s stats and team impact speak for themselves. She sent the first MCIAC flag football championship game to overtime with two interceptions and a touchdown. Her performance earned her MVP.
When the lights are brightest, she shines the brightest.
The evolution of Bostick’s game will be a recurring storyline next season. She grows every year on the field. With another offseason under her belt and a training camp with her quarterback, she’ll compete for player of the year several more times before she graduates in 2025.
Ocala Star-Banner 2023 All-County Flag Football Offense
QB- Madison Boyd, Trinity Catholic: 1609 passing yards, 296 rush yards, 18 pass TDs, 7 rush TDs
RB - Nola Willie, Forest: 280 rushing yards
RB - Mariah Reyes, Trinity Catholic: 195 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs
WR - Reniya Ford, Lake Weir: 127 passing yards, 2 TDs, 470 rushing yards, 7 TDs, 405 receiving yards, 7 TDs, 50 tackles, 7 sacks, 6 INTs
WR - McKenna Yates, Trinity Catholic: 435 yards, 34 receptions
WR - Heaven Sander, Trinity Catholic: 299 yards, 24 receptions
C - Bella Maurice, Belleview: 136 yards, 18 receptions, 1 TD, 7 sacks, 37 tackles
ATH - Erilynn Beltre, Lake Weir: 476 passing yards, 2 pass TDs, 167 rushing yards, 236 receiving yards, 6 receiving TDs, 35 Tackles, 15 INTs
ATH - Alyssa Washington, Trinity Catholic: 246 yards, 20 tackles, 6 INTs, 6 PDs
ATH - Madison Douglass, Belleview: 384 passing yards, 4 pass TDs, 302 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs, 145 receiving yards, 4 receiving TDs
Ocala Star-Banner 2023 All-County Flag Football Defense
LB - Emma Brantley, Belleview: 94 tackles, 6 INTs
LB - Hannah Mason, Belleview: 39 tackles, 6 INTs, 2 PDs
LB - Kelvina Dantzler, Belleview: 74 tackles, 1 INTs
DB - Janiana Wess, Forest: county-high 15 INTs, 19 total tackles, 6 TDs, 124 receiving yards
DB - Diara Fisher, Belleview: 30 tackles, 13 PDs,
DB - Sandrea Walker, Forest: 2 sacks, 16 solo tackles, 21 total tackles
ATH - Krysta Rutter, Forest: 19 solo tackles, 25 total tackles, 10 sacks
ATH - Rose Gravel, Trinity Catholic: 5 INTs, 14 tackles, 217 yards, 2 TDs
ATH - Kania Dean, Forest: 13 tackles, 2 INTs
ATH - Lizandra Mulkey, Lake Weir: 57 tackles, 3 INTs, 1 sacks
Honorable Mention
Davin Slaughter, West Port, Terrionna Heath (West Port), QB Faith Waller (Lake Weir), Makayla Crews (Lake Weir), Raleah Cummings (Lake Weir), Camden Collins (Forest), Olivia Romo (Forest), Riley Feagle (Forest), Charley McInness (Forest), Hailey Schaller (Forest), Caely Mullinix (Belleview), Jordan Wehrmann (Belleview)
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Meet the Ocala Star-Banner 2023 All-County Flag Football Team
